Across the street from monument built in their honour, the trial over the 2014 killing of three Moncton Mounties has entered its second week.
Monday’s proceedings — and the testimony of the crown’s third witness — were a real eye opener for Const. Louis-Philippe Theriault, an RCMP officer in Moncton.
“It has been difficult for all of us,” he said.
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Darryl Davies, a criminology instructor at Carleton University, says he completed a draft report for the RCMP in 2010 that recommended the use of carbines.
“It became apparent to me it was a no-brainer that the RCMP had archaic weapons response,” Davies said.
Davies testified that after the completion of his draft report the RCMP essentially cut all ties with him.
“It’s just common sense to go through a report after hiring an expert to conduct one,” he said.
He says he received a letter from RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson in June 2010 indicating this his research did not meet their needs.
He was eventually contacted by the Mounties in early 2011, indicating that they were planning to roll out the carbines.
“I guess they were going to implement my recommendations,” he said.
But when three officers — Const. Fabrice Gevaudan, Doug Larche and Dave Ross — were shot and killed by Justin Bourque three years later, there were still no carbines in service in Moncton.
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Two other officers were injured during Bourque’s rampage.
“I was surprised to find out the extent of his study and that he approached RCMP members but he also approached multiple other police forces in North America,” said Theriault, who also represents the Mounted Police Professional Association of Canada.
Theriault’s report wasn’t the first. A report released in 2006 concluded there was a need for the weapons. He questions why there was ever a need for Davies’ report on the use of carbines four years later
“In my opinion, yeah, they have taken too long. The carbine was already in use someplace else,” said Theriault.
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